PHC Internships Show Support for Vet Tech Industry
Veterinary Technician Kelly Callaghan (left) and Intern Lance Fydenkebez
Veterinary technicians (vet techs) play a vital role in supporting veterinarians, performing tasks like patient history intake, assisting in surgery, providing nursing care, conducting lab procedures, and more. A 2022 survey by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians (NAVTA) highlights growing opportunities in the field, but also the challenges faced in this fast-paced industry. (More on this survey here.)
To support the profession, Dakin has welcomed two vet tech interns to its Pet Health Center (PHC) since its 2022 opening. The most recent student, UMass senior Lance Fydenkebez, recently concluded a 5-week internship, during which he worked closely with Dr. Jack Muth, Public Medical & Education Director, and Certified Veterinary Technician Kelly Callaghan, who oversaw his internship.
Kelly noted, “Lance was a wonderful addition to the PHC and we wish him the best. He was able to see the exam process from start to finish—from obtaining the important initial history from the owner to pulling blood, handling and restraint (of a patient), getting estimates, and seeing the client to reception at the end of the appointment. He was able to see the importance of active listening skills and common communication between the pet’s owner, technician and veterinarian. He could see that every patient is different and requires unique means of approach for the entire exam.”
Before transferring to UMass, Lance studied at Holyoke Community College (HCC) and completed an earlier internship with limited active involvement. He found Dakin's internship valuable for gaining practical skills, saying, "I got to do a lot of hands-on work every day." At Dakin, he had opportunities in various departments, like expressing a patient’s bladder in the Spay/Neuter Clinic and learning to insert a microchip in another.
Dr. Muth says Dakin provides a great learning environment with an inclusive culture, wonderful clients, and a heavy caseload of sick patients, offering students diverse treatment experiences. The clinic’s advanced equipment, funded by grants, helps students develop key skills. He adds that the internship program aims to expose vet tech students to clients facing barriers to veterinary care. “In this way,” he stated, “Dakin is helping expand veterinary care to these clients beyond our clinic.”
“The shortage of vet techs is a real thing in the veterinary profession,” said Kelly, “But with excellent AVMA-accredited college programs like UMass and HCC and our internship program here in the PHC, we can have a role in shaping the veterinary technician of the future.”
In summing up his internship experience, Lance said “I’m glad I had this opportunity at Dakin, and I’m happy the PHC is here, especially for people who have financial constraints, because that was one of the things I saw all the time when I worked in an emergency animal hospital. People had to cut corners or not be able to provide their pet with the best care possible because they just couldn’t afford it. I’m glad the PHC exists for people like that.”